Hey all!
Let me start off this post by introducing myself. My name is Chris and I have been playing guitar for about eight years now. When I started I played exclusively classical, but over the past three years or so I have grown to adore the blues. The main reason for this post is that I am happy to announce the arrival of my new Axis Super Sport in Pacific Blue Burst!
The guitar was ordered in early May, and Scott Ball was a pleasure to do business with. He kept me informed during the build process and was available to answer whatever questions I had. A+ communication.
Over the past eight years or so I have accumulated a few guitars, a Cordoba Solista flamenco guitar, Jose Ramirez 4E classical, Fender American Stratocaster, and a beautiful Paul Reed Smith McCarty Brazilian. I love each one of my guitars for the unique feel and tone that they possess, but I had been craving something different in a guitar, and felt that an ASS would be the guitar to fill this need. I am contented to say that with the very short amount of time that I’ve spent with it, I am beyond satisfied with my decision! I remember fellow guitarists try to steer me in the direction of Gibson, Fender, PRS to be my third axe, but it was the distinctive quality of Music Man that lured me in.
The guitar itself is absolutely beautiful! The top is well defined and has a nice grain, while the Pacific Blue Burst adds a sense of elegance to this guitar in my eyes. One thing that I’ve read over the years is that the neck is where this guitar stands out, and I never in a million years would have thought it would be this good! It is SO fast and well textured. My thumb glides up and down with hardly any resistance. There are very few words that I have found that can adequately describe the feel of the neck other than buttery smooth. The fit and finish on the guitar is second to none, and is the best I’ve ever experienced. For years I had thought that the natural neck on my McCarty Brazilian was unbeatable, but after playing this I can confidently say that I was incorrect. Don’t get me wrong, the neck on the PRS is excellent, but when compared to the ASS, the MM wins by a very comfortable margin. The frets are flawless, and the guitar was setup to perfection right from the factory. Every fine detail about this instrument seems to have been completely thought out, and nothing seems out of place or leaving me wanting more. Everything is where you want it and where you would expect it.
The tone of this guitar is hard to describe largely because its tonal palette is so wide. I’m plugged into a Fender Deluxe Reverb and the cleans sound well defined and crisp, while the overdriven sound is warm and expressive. When plugged into my Zendrive pedal, the guitar transforms and takes on a new personality. I haven’t had sufficient time to compare my three electrics so I will write a more detailed report at a later date, but this guitar is hands down the most comfortable electric guitars I have ever played, and I’ve played some nice ones in my time working at a guitar store. With this guitar I look forward to seeing how exactly I can mold the character of the sound by merely tinkering with the tone and volume knobs and pickup selectors.
Overall this guitar and the company that manufactures these works of art deserve kudos for being so unique and so attentive to the needs of the customer. This is a guitar that my children’s children will one day play!
Thanks for reading!
-Chris
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